Synonyms of breakthrough

breakthrough

noun

ˈbrāk-ˌthrü 

as in improvement

an instance of notable progress in the development of knowledge, technology, or skill

Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin was one of medicine's great breakthroughs, for penicillin became the first antibiotic to successfully combat bacterial infections in humans

Synonyms & Similar Words

• improvement
• advance
• advancement
• enhancement
• development
• innovation
• discovery
• refinement
• evolution
• increase
• upturn
• upswing
• revival
• amelioration
• strengthening
• maturation
• enlightenment
• growth
• betterment
• find
• renaissance
• education
• boost
• expansion
• quantum leap
• uplift
• windfall
• gestation
• ripening
• elaboration
• civilization
• melioration
• upgrade
• perfection
• heightening
• edification
• uptrend
• renascence
• invention

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• setback
• breakdown
• collapse
• crash
• reduction
• impediment
• hindrance
• decrease
• failing
• decline
• deterioration
• stumbling block
• worsening
• lapse
• weakening
• decay
• degeneration
• sinking
• impairment
• descent
• drawback
• shortcoming
• slowing
• lessening
• decadence
• downgrade
• detriment
• glitch
• declension
• diminishment
• disablement
• flagging
• languishment
• ebbing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of breakthrough

The major breakthrough in the cold case began in October 2020, when the Big Bear Lake resident called authorities about a suspicious finding in the crawlspace under their home, the release said. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Teams wrote lengthy requirements, built in silos and hoped to launch a breakthrough 12 months later (if all the stars aligned). — Garret Gray, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Instead of idealizing the perfect breakthrough, climate technology must focus on ensuring its incredible solutions are also adoptable. — Stéphane Germain, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026

Multi-color printing was added at the start of this year after a breakthrough in technology, and Nike brought additive printing through its own Project Nectar tech on the Air Max 95000 introduced last fall. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026